Bucco-dental care or interventions are procedures performed in the oral cavity of a patient by a medical practitioner. The term “practitioner”, means a dental surgeon, a dentist, and more generally any person called upon to perform a procedure in the bucco-dental sphere. The practitioner performs his or her intervention by introducing different types of instruments or utensils into the oral cavity. Bucco-dental interventions can involve operations aimed at maintaining healthy teeth or interventions involving dental surgery.
Now, as the mouth is used for respiration, for eating and for phonation it is a part of the human body which is fragile and hypersensitive. Thus, the internal tissue of the mouth concentrates in particular blood vessels and salivary glands which ensure lubrication of the oral cavity. Under such conditions, the practitioner works in an environment where saliva and blood can interfere with the work he is performing. This is especially true as the introduction of instruments into the oral cavity of the patient stimulates the defense mechanisms of the mouth, causing in particular overactity of the salivary glands. The removal of salivary flow and/or blood along with irrigation fluid or fluid for cooling dental instruments remains a problem that is constantly encountered during bucco-dental care.
Suction cannulae placed in the mouth of a patient undergoing a dental procedure are known, wherein such procedure involves the use of liquids, such as a medical fluid or water for irrigation. These liquids must be drawn off throughout the procedure. For this purpose, a suction cannula is positioned in the patient's mouth. This cannula consists of a hook-shaped tube connected to a suction source operating at low pressure. The tube is formed of two different plastic materials; the first material is flexible and the second, to allow shaping of the tube, has a greater hardness than the first. These cannulae however require the use of a “third hand” to hold the cannula. This “third hand” may be that of the practitioner's assistant or the patient. This makes practicing the operation more difficult, even dangerous in some cases, especially if the cannula is released during surgery.
French Patent Application FR-A-2560038 discloses a device for practicing odontostomatology affording protection to the tongue and cheek, as well as drawing off of saliva and coolants. The device includes a handle portion for holding the instrument. The practitioner must consequently hold the device with one hand. This may be a hindrance to the practitioner while performing various gestures during surgery on the patient.
There is therefore a need for an evacuation cannula for evacuating saliva and/or blood flow which is easier to use, notably a cannula which does not need to be held once placed in the patient's mouth.